Rotary internal-combustion engine



vJuly 8, 1950 A. c. FArrou'r ETAL 2,515,051

ROTARY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed- Feb. '12, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J y 1950 A. c. FAITOUT El'AL i 2,516,051

ROTARY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 12, 1947 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 O l r 9:: M (2w: MI-XL/ Patented July 18, 1950 ROTARY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Andre Charles Faitout, Valentigney, and Pierre Rene Lestage, Gare de Le Sen par Labrit, France Application February 12, 1947:, Serial N 0- 728,070

In France July 10, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August s, 1946 Patent expires July 10, 1965 13 Claims.

It is well known to form a four-cycle explosion engine with at least one piston cylinder in which occur all the pertaining processes, so that the complete cycle requires four strokes, of which one only produces useful work per two revolutions of the shaft connected with the cylinder-piston.

It is equally known to form an internal combustion engine with an oscillating vane displaceable within a chamber wherein of the four strokes there is, too, one only that produces useful work.

The present invention aims to provide an internal combustion engine presenting many advantages over the engines above referred to, namely in that it has a stroke producing useful work per each revolution of its shaft, a constant rate of filling whatever its speed, a constant volume combustion, and a. prolonged expansion of isnited gases.

The engine according to this invention is strong but light in construction, silent in operation, and formed with shaped parts readily interchangeable.

The engine according to the present invention substantially comprises in combination: an outer rotatable cyl-indric container, an inner rotatable cylindric container tangential to said outer container, and at least two partition vanes set on the shaft with which is connected said outer container, of which paddles oneis rigidly connected to said outer container and the other is in frictional contact therewith.

According to one feature of the present invention, the two aforesaid cylindrical containers are eccentric with respect to each other.

According to a further feature of this invention, the aforesaid partition vanes traverse the inner cylindrical container by means of ball joints. The latter permit said vanes to move slightly with respect to each other consequent upon the eccentricity of the two containers.

According to yet a further feature of the invention, the centres of the ball joints making way for said paddles are disposed on one and the same circumference having its centre on the axis of the inner cylindrical container.

According to a further feature of the invention, the fuel supply is effected through a conduit which is arranged within the shaft supporting the inner container and is adapted to communicate-with the space between the two containers through a channel provided in one of the aforesaid vanes,

preferably in the vane rigidly connected to the said outer container.

According to yet a further feature of the invention, there is provided, at the free vane end, a combustion chamber adapted to communicate tion, there is provided, in the bottom of the outer cylindrical container, an exhaust port which is uncovered, at the desired instant, by the bottom of the inner cylindrical container.

It is pointed out that, when the assembly comprising the aforesaid containers and vanes is rotating, there are formed at first two chambers, in the courseof a certain portion of the complete cycle, and then three chambers which operate simultaneously and whose volume is variable.

The first one of these chambers is a scavenging chamber whose volume goes on decreasing and Whose contents, constituted by burnt gases, is gradually evacuated into the atmosphere.

The second chamber is a suction chamber whose volumegoes on increasing and which becomes, in asu bsequent phase, of operation, a compressio c am er w ose vo m goes on d c asi g.

Finally, the third chamber is an expansion chamber adapted to communicate with the explosion chamber which is provided in the vane and whose volume goes on increasing. This chamber is set in communication, at the end of expansion, with the exhaust part and, at this instant, becomes scavenging chamber.

The space between the two vanes, on a cer tain side of the latter, therefore becomes successively expansion chamber, scavenging chamber, suction chamber and compression chamber.

The tightjoint between the two innerly tangential cylindrical. containers may be made, along generating lines successively coming in contact, by any known means such for example as segmental joints disposed, following the generating lines, either on the inner face of the outer con taihcr or on the outer face of the inner container.

' In order that the invention may be well under stood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described-with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example, some'embodiments thereof, and in which: 7 Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, are transversal sectional views diagrammatically showing one form of the engine of the invention in different operational positions:

Fig. 6 is a comparative explanatory diagram of a complete cycle; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic longitudinal sectional showing of an engine designed according to the invention. v i

As shown in the drawings, the engine comprises an outer cylindrical container I adapted to rotate on a stationary shaft 2, and an inner cylindrical container 3 made fast to the end of a shaft 4 provided with a central bore 5. Respectively set on the shaft,2-.are vanes S and 'I. The vane 6 has, at its outermost :end, an explosion chamber 8 opened at 9' on the outer surface of the container 3, the outer face of the vane 6 being tangential to the outer surface of the container 3. The vane I is provided with a channel III adapted to set in communication the inner space II of the container 3 with the luniform space comprised between the two containers I and 3. The vanes 6 and I define, in the said luniform space and jointly with the common point of tangency of the two containers, three chambers I2, I3 and I4, the role of which will be explained hereinafter.

In the bottom of the container I is made an exhaust port I which, as shown in Figs, 1 to 5, may, in certain positions of the parts (Fig. 5), be covered'by the corresponding face of the container 3.

As shown in the drawings, the vane I is immobilizedina groove made in the inner face of the container I. The connection between the vanes and the container 3 is made by means of ball jointssuch IIS I'I and I 8-I 9 (Fig. 3). The joint balls are cut through cylindrically; preferably, the ball joints I 6-H, as well as the ball joints vIll- 49, have one and the same axis, and these two axes form the generating lines of a cylinder having forits axis the axis of the shaft 4.

As shown in Fig. 7, the hollow shaft 4, to Which is, made fast the container 3, is adapted to journal in a bearing that also supports the container I The tight joint between this shaft, through which is supplied the fuel mixture, and the bearing 20 is ensured by a collar 2|. For permitting to introduce the fuel mixture into the channel 5 despite rotation of the shaft 4, there is provided for example a stationary cap 22 fast to the bearing 20 and adapted to cap the end of the shaft 4. In to the cap 22 is screwed the pipe fitting 23 connected for example to the carburettor or mixer.

As shown in Fig. 7, the shaft 2 supporting the container I is secured to the engine frame 24 for example by means of a stirrup and pressure screw not shown. Protruding from the container I is a sleeve 25 surrounding the shaft 2 and carrying a toothed wheel or pulley 26 keyed thereto. The sleeve 25 is adapted to rotate between the stationary shaft 2 and a stationary member 27. The member 21 is formed with a semi-annular groove 28 adapted to correspond, in certain operational phases, with the exhaust port I5. The groove 28 is adapted to communicate with the atmosphere through a passage 29 provided in the member 21 at the time as in the corresponding part of the engine frame. In the bottom wall of the explosion chamber 8 is mounted for example a sparking plug 30 fed with electric current through the medium of a contacting brush 32 and a conductor 3| housed in the shaft 2.

The operation of such an engine is as follows: Contemplating first the position of the parts as shown in Fig. 1, it is visible that gases, that have been'compressed in the chamber I4, pass into'the explosion chamber 8 in which they accumulate. 'At the same time, by rotation of the parts, the chamber I3 is set in communication with theexhaust port I5, wherefore the gases in the chamber I3 are expelled into the atmosphere? In-the position shown in Fig. 2, the explosion chamber is isolated, whereupon the gases confinedtherein are caused to explode. The coninner container. and closed byatransversal wall tents of the chamber I3 keeps on being expelled into the atmosphere, while the chamber I2 begins to be filled with fuel gases coming in through the channel 5, chamber II and passage I I].

The parts having rotated into the position shown in Fig. 3,the combustion chamber 8 finds itself in communication with the expansion chamber 14, while the chamber I2 keeps on being filled and the chamber I 3 emptied.

This expansion goes on during the phases shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the position shown in Fig. 5, the scavenging chamber is reduced to zero, the inlet port is obturated by the ball joint, and at this instant begins, in the chamber I2, the phase of compression. The explosion chamber, the principal outlet of which is at this instant isolated from the expansion chamber, communicates with the latter through the lateral opening 33, so that the expansion of ignited gases goes on. This expansion results in repelling the vane 6, hence in transmitting the expansion power to both the pinion 26 and shaft 4, through the medium of the cylindric container 3. This power may therefore be collected either on the pinion 26 or on the shaft 4. with theprocesses going on as described.

The comparative diagrams (Fig. 6) of the engine according to the invention (full lines) and of a normal four-cylinder engine of same cylinder capacity (dot-and-dash lines) evidence the advantages of thefirst-mentioned engine.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described and shown, for modifications of detail may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. An internal combustion engine, which comprises, in combination an outer rotatable container, a shaft for supporting said outer container, an inner rotatable container, a second shaft for supporting said inner container having its axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of the first shaft, at least two vanesjournalled on the first shaft, one of said vanes being rigidly connected with said outer container and the other being in frictional contact therewith,'openings approximatively parallel to the first shaft provided in said inner container, said vanes passing through said openings, ball-joints inserted in said openings in frictional relation with said openings and said vanes, and means to introduce a fuel mixture between said two containers.

2. An internal combustionengine according to claim 1, in which each ball-joint is cylindrical and comprises a radial slot for the corresponding vane, the axis of the said ball-joints being the generatrices of a cylinder having the same axis than the second shaft.

3. An internal combustion engine, which comprises, in combination an 'outer rotatable container, a shaft for supporting said outer container, an inner rotatable container, a second shaft for supporting said inner container having its axis'parallel to and spaced from the axis of the first shaft, at least two vanes journalled on the first shaft, one of said vanes being rigidly connected with said outer container and the other being in frictional contact therewith, openings approximately parallel to the first shaft provided in said inner container, said vanes passing through said openings, ball-joints inserted in said openings in frictional relation with said openings and said vanes, a chamber provided inside said 5, of said outer container, meansto introduce a fuel mixture 'iintoasaid-chainber, and .a channel provided insideonenf saidvanes and allowing said chamber-to communicate withthe space provided between saidlcontainers during particular phasesof the engine'cycle, I ,1

,4. Anrinternali combustionengine, which comprises, in combination an outer rotatable containergca shaft for supporting said outer container, anxinner rotatable container, a second shaft for supporting said inner container having it axis parallelto and spaced from the axis of the first shaft,,at leastgtwo. vanes journalled on the first shaft, one of said vanes being rigidly I connected with said outer container and the other being, in frictional contact therewith, said vanes passing throughjope'riings approximately parallel to the first shaft provided in said inner container, ball-joints inserted in said openings in frictional relation with said openings and said vanes, a chamber provided inside said inner container and closed by a transversal wall-of said outer container, means to" introduce a fuel mixture into said chamber, and a channel provided inside the fixed vane to introduce a fuel mixture between said two containers during the suction phase of the engine cygla =1 L .i

5. An internal combustion engine, which comprises, in combination an outer rotatable container, a shaft for supporting said outer container, an inner rotatable container, a second shaft for supporting said inner container having its axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of the first shaft, at least two vanes journalled on the first shaft, one of said vanes being rigidly connected with said outercontainer and the other being in frictional contact therewith, said vanes passing through openings provided in said inner container, ball-joints inserted in said openings in frictional relation with said openings and said vanes, a chamber provided inside the-inner container and closed by .a transversal wall of said outer container, a conduit provided axially in said second shaft to introduce a fuel mixture into said chamber and a channel provided inside the fixed vane to introduce said fuel mixture between said two containers.

6. An internal combustion engine, which comprises, in combination an outer rotatable container, a shaft for supporting said outer container, an inner rotatable container, a second shaft for supporting said inner container having its axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of the first shaft, at least two vanes journalled on the first shaft, one of said vanes being rigidly connected with said outer container and the other being in frictional contact therewith, a chamber provided inside the inner container and closed by a transversal wall of said outer container, a cnduit provided axially in said second shaft to introduce a fuel mixture into saidchamber, a channel provided inside the fixed vane to allow the fuel mixture being introduced between said two containers, and a combustion chamber provided at the end of the other vane.

7. An internal combustion engine, which cornv prises, in combination an outer rotatable container, a shaft for supporting said outer container, an inner rotatable container, a. second shaft for supporting said inner container having its axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of the first shaft, at least two vanes journalled on the first shaft, one of said vanes being rigidly'connected with said outer container and the other being in frictional contact therewith, a chamber provided inside the'innei' container and closed bya transversal wall of said outer container, a conduit provided axially in said second shaft to porting said inner container having its axis par-.

allel to andspaced from the axis of the'first shaft, at least two; vanes journalled on the first shaft,

one of said vanes being rigidly connected with,

said outer container and the other being in frictional contact therewith, a chamber providedin side the inner container and closed by a transversal wall of said outer container, a conduit provided axially in said second shaft to introducea fuelmixture into said chamber, a channel provided inside the fixed vane 'to allow the fuel mixture being introduced between said two containers, and a combustion chamber provided at the end of the other vane, which chamber has an opening emerging on the transversal face of the vane contacting the outer container, and a port provided on the lateral face of the said vane and communicating with said combustion chamber.

9. An internal combustion engine, which comprises, in combination an outer rotatable container, a shaft for supporting said outer container, an inner rotatable container, a second shaft for supporting said inner container having its axis parallelto and spaced from the axis of the first shaft, at least two vanes journalled on the first shaft, one of said vanes being rigidly connected with said outer container and the other being in frictional contact therewith, a chamber provided inside the inner container and closed by a transversal wall of said outer container, a conduit provided axially in said second shaft to introduce a fuel mixture into said chamber, a channel provided inside the fixed vane to allow the fuel mixture being introduced between said two containers, and a combustion chamber provided at the end of the other vane, which chamber has an opening emerging on the transversal face of the vane contacting the outer container, and a port provided on the lateral face of the said vane and communicating with said combustion chamber, and two pockets provided on the outer container at an angular distance substantially equal to the angle of relative displacement of the vanes, and disposed on both sides of the second vane, the combustion chamber being so adapted to communicate with one or the other of said pockets.

10. An internal combustion engine, which comprises, in combination an outer rotatable container, a shaft for supporting said outer container, an inner rotatable container, a second shaft for supporting said inner container having its axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of the first shaft, at least two vanes journalled on the first shaft, one of said vanes being rigidly connected with said outer container and the other being in frictional contact therewith, a chamber provided inside the inner container and closed by a transversal wall of said outer container, a conduit provided axially in said second shaft to introduce a fuel mixture into said chamber, a channel provided inside the fixed vane to allow the fuel mixture being introduced between said two containers, and a combustion chamber provided at the end of the other vane, which chamber has an opening emerging on the transversal face of the vane contacting the outer container, and an exhau'st port provided in said transversal wall of the outer container.

11. An internal combustion engine, which comprises, in combination an outer rotatable container, a shaft for supporting said outer container, an inner rotatable container, a second shaft for supporting said inner container having its axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of the first shaft, at least two vanes journalled on the first shaft, one of said vanes being rigidly connected with said outer container and the other being in frictional contact therewith, a chamber provided inside the inner container and closed by a transversal wall of said outer container, a conduit provided axially in said second shaft to introduce a fuel mixture into said chamber, a channel provided inside the fixed vane to allow the fuel mixture being introduced between said two containers, and a combustion chamber provided at the end of the other vane, which chamber has an openin emerging on the transversal face of the vane contacting the outer container, and an exhaust port provided in said transversal,

wall of the outer container, said port being closed or opened by the inner container according to the relative position of said two containers.

12. An internal combustion engine according to claim 11, in which the vanes are individually free to rotate with respect to the said first shaft.

13. An internal combustion engine according to claim 11, in which a sparking plug is provided in the combustion chamber, electric current being fed to said plug through the first shaft by a contacting brush.

ANDRE CHARLES FAITOUT.

PIERRE RENE LESTAGE.

Name Date Whiting Mar. 30, 1915 Berntsen July 26, 1927 Granberg Dec. 16, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Nov. 11, 1830 Number Number 

